Jim Blankenship is the founder and principal of Blankenship Financial Planning, Ltd., a financial planning firm providing hourly, as-needed financial planning and advice. A financial services professional for over 25 years, Jim is a CFP professional and has earned the Enrolled Agent designation, a designation that qualifies him as enrolled to practice before the IRS. Jim is also a NAPFA-registered financial advisor, which designates him as a Fee-Only Financial Advisor.

When you were a kid, did you ever dream of being able to just let it all go – not having to follow any rules, no penalties, no restrictions? What if I told you that the IRS provides you with just such an environment – where you are free to literally do (or not do) anything you want with your IRA? Including buying yourself that octopus costume you always wanted?

So just where is this nirvana? Where you can just go willy-nilly and do whatever suits you with your IRA? It’s not a where, but rather, when.

Between the ages of 59½ and 70½ there are no rules or restrictions regarding withdrawals from your IRA – including no required withdrawals. How ’bout them apples?? That’s a full 132 months where you can take money out of your IRA at any time, for any reason, and there are no consequences! Well, other than having to pay ordinary income tax on the tax-deferred withdrawals. You’re also free to not take money out of your account, if you wish – a privilege that you might yearn for after you reach the end of this free-for-all time.

And it gets better if you have a 401(k) – you have from age 55 to age 70½ with no restrictions, the only additional requirement being that you have separated from service (left your employer) on or after age 55. And many employers are stepping up and helping folks out with that lately – hardly a day goes by without hearing of someone “separating from service”.

So – when everything seems to be going against you, you can sit back and think about how the IRS has given you this wonderful span of time… eleven full years… with no restrictions.

About the author

Jim Blankenship, CFP®, EA

Jim Blankenship is the founder and principal of Blankenship Financial Planning, Ltd., a financial planning firm providing hourly, as-needed financial planning and advice. A financial services professional for over 25 years, Jim is a CFP professional and has earned the Enrolled Agent designation, a designation that qualifies him as enrolled to practice before the IRS. Jim is also a NAPFA-registered financial advisor, which designates him as a Fee-Only Financial Advisor.